Daughter of Destiny
by Sk8erGrl
Summary: She came to stop a monster but she’ll fulfill her destiny instead and change the future.
1. Arrival

**Daughter of Destiny**

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**Author:** Sk8erGrl1

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. Only thing I own is Sage.

**Summary:** She came to stop a monster but she'll fulfill her destiny instead and change the future.

**Pairings:** Cordy/Angel but many others in-between that I don't know about yet.

**Author's Note:** This is a response to TruthFinder101's 'Daughter of Destiny" Challenge at Chocolate Covered Strawberries that just wouldn't leave me alone. Enjoy and please review.

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**Chapter One: Arrival**

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**The Future**

_She called out to him as the wind whipped around her in a mini-tornado. Suddenly, she wasn't sure why she was doing this anymore. Was it worth it? Was it going to make a difference in her life if she did? The people she cared most for might still die, maybe not at the precise moments they were supposed to but either way. Their lifestyles were ones that called them to put their lives on the line everyday, and everyday when they went out to fight something, it could be their last night. For some of them, it was._

_ Really, she had no choice but to let them do this to her, let them send her to the past where she would have to see everyone alive, well and unsuspecting. It was her fault that that thing had been able to go back, she had hesitated a moment and it had gone through the portal, the damn thing closing behind it. _

_ Connor was supposed to come with her, they were going to go together and stay hidden from their father and the rest of the gang. Then, they had discovered that only she would be allowed through the portal. This was because unlike Connor, she wasn't born yet in the time where she was going. She was nothing but "a sparkle in her mother's eyes" as her Aunt Willow said when she was talking about the time before she was born. _

_ Now, she stood in front of the large portal, appearing in thin air as the spell was completed and she saw him run into the room from the corner of her eyes. He was shouting her name, begging her not to do it, but she had to. She had no choice, because if all went according to plan, when she was able to come home again, everything would be good again. None of those bad things that haunted her dreams every night would've happened and she would have her family back again._

_ Everyone but her and Connor thought that she was going back solely to kill the demon that she had let slip by. The two siblings had talked though and both had decided that if she could, while she was there, she would help with the next apocalypse and save their futures. They had traced all the events that came afterwards to that night, eighteen years ago. When she went back, she would have three months before it happened, maybe less. _

_ He was he last thing she saw before the darkness clouded over in front of her and she felt like she was falling at a breakneck speed. She closed her eyes, and tried to keep her breaths regular, trying not to scream as she went through. _

**The Present**

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She landed with a thud in the middle of the Hyperion Hotel, in the exact spot where she had stood in the future moments ago. The hotel was dark, abandoned, and she knew immediately that it had worked just then. She looked to the spot where Connor and the others had stood moments ago, the spot where he had been and smiles sadly knowing that they might not have to do that if she succeeds, she might not have to see that look of worry and fear on Connor's face watching his precious baby sister go on a dangerous mission alone.

Running a hand through her hair, she sat down on the circular couch in the middle of the lobby and tried to think of what her next move would be. Everything had been planned out up until the point she got to the past, but after that, no one could predict what would happen. They were all worried; she didn't have to read their minds to know that. She just did, it was obvious. Like Connor, it was written on all of their faces.

Finally, realizing that just sitting there wasn't going to help anything at all, she stood up and headed to the door, a stake gripped in her hands that she slipped out from her pocket and at her waist was her sword, her pride, the weapon she did the most killing with. It had gone through many battles with her, and with her mother before her. She knew that walking in the streets here with a sword on her hip would likely draw much attention to her but she didn't really care, hell, if they arrested her, she would just have to kick their asses.

Her long dark brown hair fell halfway down her back and was streaked with red; her chocolate brown eyes glistened in the moonlight, searching carefully as for where she should go next. Then, her ears perked up and she ran into a nearby alleyway where she saw none other than her brother, slightly younger though, falling from a roof nearby. He landed hard on the floor and she smirked, and stood in the entrance, arms crossed over her chest to see if this time's Connor was as good a fighter as her Connor back at home was. He jumped up back onto his feet and then turned to run to the head of the alley to go after the demon that has taken off down the street, the demon she was here for, jumping from roof to roof once again.

Connor halted when he saw her and frowned, that look of fear of being exposed as some kind of freak never crossed his face, not that she expected it too either. Her brother was never afraid, not once in her life save those last seconds when she was coming back here had she seen him afraid about anything. "How long have you been there?" he wondered.

"Long enough to see your fall," she shrugged, nonchalantly, as if she saw people fall from roofs every day. Then again, in reality, it was really every other day when they got something to fight.

"What you not going to call me a freak because I survived a fall from a 7 seven story building?" Connor asked, raising an eyebrow.

She grinned then, a slow, lazy smirk and shook her head slowly, her hair swaying with the movement. Then, with a hidden laugh in her voice, a kind of irony that her brother who she was so close to would have absolutely no idea who she was, not the slightest notion, she said, "No, I would call it pure luck."

Connor's eyes then flickered over to the stake that was still clutched in her hands and then to the sword at her hip and frowned once again, eyebrows furrowing in an almost confused look but he looked contemplative, as if deciding what of the many supernatural things she could be. Finally, he raised an inquisitive eyebrow, "Slayer?"

"Something like that," was her reply, but that was all she was going to give away. Like both her father and brother she had a knack for being secretive and mysterious, even cryptic at times. Then again, that clashed with her peppy, talkative, sarcastic side she had inherited from her mother. She smiled to herself, thinking about her parents then, thinking about how much she missed them, and thinking about how great it would be if she succeeded in saving them.

Connor looked as if he didn't know what to say then, like everything that needed to be said between these two strangers had been said. She had a number of things she could say to them, things that she wished more than anything she could tell him right then and there. He wasn't her brother though, this Connor was just getting used to the world of Vampires and Demons again, trying to balance this normal life he had lived and the live he had been born into and grown up with. The life that he was just now beginning to remember, she didn't know how well he would take this news from her. That in the future he had a little sister who he protected, took care of, and cared more about than the entire world. A sister who fought by his side, killed demons and helped the hopeless with him.

"I need you to do something for me," she said, looking into his blue eyes just then, her tone more serious than it had been with her bother in their entire lives. There was always that air of humor, that thing between two siblings who got along and joked. Even in the direst situations they had always had that, but she had to remind herself once again that this was her brother, not yet at least.

"Why?" He asked, ever the skeptic.

"Because a lot of lives depend on it," she hoped that that was all he needed to hear to comply to her request. She knew that that was all her father or his friends would need but sometimes her brother needed more than that. Needed more than just danger for other people. He had learnt that, sometimes, saving strangers cost him things that he cared for; cost him the things that he needed more, the people that he loved. In his mind at time a few innocent lives spent are worth the life of one person.

When he nodded, she didn't know whether or not to be surprised. In truth, she didn't know much about her brother's life before she had been born. Only what little he had told her right before she had come here. She had forced him to tell her, in case something happened, in case it was necessary she know it to help out. "What do you need?" he wondered.

"I need you to take me to d-to Angel, to your dad," she said, "To Wolfram and Hart, I need to see him."

"How do you know that Angel's my dad?" Conner demanded to know, he guards now up, the neck of his axe gripped tightly in his hands.

"It's a long story," she explained quickly, "A really, really long story that involves ruined new shoes, my destroyed favorite shirt and a demon that's going to attack that you guys know nothing about. Just, take me to Angel."

"He's not at Wolfram and Hart," Connor said just then, "They destroyed it and right now they're probably fighting the demons the Senior Partners sent out after them because they d-"

"I know..." She cut him off, and then in a second her mind processed all of this. She hadn't expected to come back on this exact day, the day that her father and his friends made history and put the Senior Partners out of commission for a while, the day that evil received a huge blow. Another evil did arise not much later, not long before the Senior Partners came back, but they had had quiet freedom for months as they grieved their fallen allies nonetheless. "Gunn!" she shouted then and took off in a sprint towards where the battle had, was, taking place. If she could save just one life, just right now, that would make all the difference to her.

As she ran she thought about how when she was growing up she had heard stories of Gunn, Wesley and Fred, her parent's dearest friends who had all fallen in the same year her mother had died for the first time. Friends that they missed dearly and always talked fondly of. She remember how she had always wanted to meet them, especially Gunn who sounded so cool and collected, an awesome fighter bent of ridding the world of Vampires. If she could save his life tonight, could get there before that demon finished him off, at least then she knew that she would make things a little better.

Connor raced after her, keeping up with her but unable to out run her, never able to out run her, not more than a couple of feet at least. After all, she still had that Vampire blood in her. She saw how surprised he was that she could keep up with him, that he was not far ahead at the battle scene by now. As she caught sight of the hoards of demons ahead she unsheathed she sword and picked up her pace, pushing herself to the limit trying to get there in time.

When she reached the battlefield she surprised many of the demons, all of who were focusing on the traitors, on the four fighting good guys, and began to kill any and all that got in her way. Gutting, beheading, maiming, pushing, shoving, anything she could do to get by and closer to the front of the battle where the others were fighting and get to Gunn before he was killed. Before that one demon swung the axe down and through his neck, beheading him while others began to tear out his limbs, all trying to get a good piece of meat off of their pray. She grimaced at that thought as she caught sight of the muscular black man, his shirt soaked in his own blood mixed with that of demons from his gut wound. Already, she saw he was growing weaker, slacking off in the battle and his knees beginning to give out.

In an instant she saw her father, Illyria, and Spike, all distracted and tied up in their own battles. Stronger, not injured and their demon blood and strength keeping them going at full strength. Then her gaze shifted back over to Gunn as she stuck her sword right through and up into a demons gut and then pulled it out as it crumpled to the ground. She saw the demon then, saw it hold its axe above its head and start to swing it down on Gunn, who had fallen to the ground seconds ago. She dove in front of the man and held her sword up, shielding the attack. She tried to push it away, keep it from tearing into her with all her strength as slowly she gathered up more of her strength and kicked the demon away as she flipped onto her feet and before she could do much else, the demons head rolled back off his head and the body stood for a moment and fell after it, revealing her brother standing there, smirking. She smiled, thankful that she had run into him and that he had followed.

Not wasting any time, she twirled around and kicked another demon away from Gunn. It stumbled back, shaking it head, getting itself back together after the blow to its left temple, but before it could attack, she swung her sword and cut him in half. The two halves split, and joined the other dead demons on the floor before turning into blue, bubbling ooze.

By this time, Gunn had nearly passed out. His thoughts of death, of being saved just then, of all the pain and of his love for Fred all flowed through her mind as she let her barriers in her mind down and kneeled down next to him, using all of the magical strength she had left after keeping herself grounded in the tunnel to put up a barrier around solely her and the dying man. "Who the hell are you?" he asked, his voice raspy.

"Let's just say I'm a friend," she smiled, and then lifted up his shirt, slowly, the blood causing it to stick to him, especially around the wound. It was times like these that her demon quarter came in handy. She put her hand over the wound and closed her eyes channeling her power, keeping herself grounded and focused on healing the wound. Slowly, the wound began to close, and Gunn's breathing began more normal. When she was done, nothing was left, not even a scar. The man started up at her, bewildered but she stood up and handed him one of the weapons off the flood. "Get back out there soldier," she chided and then the force field went down, as she passed out.

"Who do you think she is?" a quiet voice with a Texan twang to it asked, as slowly she came back. She kept her eyes closed, her body feeling as if it had been run over by a truck over, and over, and over again. All of her energy was drained out of her and she could barely summon enough strength to move her fingers.

"I don't know," another female voice joined in, "But what I want to know where she got those clothes! They're just...strange."

"She knew who I was, who Angel was, that you guys were in that battle," this voice was one she knew well, it was her brother's, Connor's, "She knew that Gunn was going to die."

"I wasn't gonna die!" Gunn persisted, "Hell, think I was gonna let Blue be right?"

"You were going to die," the second female said, knowingly. It was then that she recognized that voice; it was her mother's. So, she had missed the big even, had missed the moment that her father had been awarded by the Powers that Be with anything that he wanted, except his humanity, and he had chosen his rock, his confidant, the one person he could always count on, the person who held them all together, her mother, Cordelia Chase. Her mother.

"Your wound was mortal, even if the demon had not killed you, your life would have ended within mere seconds," this voice was one she knew well too, one that she had grown up with and still ceased to understand, the voice of Illyria. Then, something hit her, that first voice that had spoken had belonged to someone who was supposed to be dead, the person who Illyria lived in the shell on. The "Burkle-persona" as the ancient Old One called her.

She frowned then, in her nearly unconscious and turned her head, ever so slightly and opened her eyes a crack but closed them right away. The light hurt her eyes and her head pounded. Slowly, she opened them again and let them adjust to the brightness of the room, she squinted up at the person who was standing closest to the bed, and smirked a little upon seeing that it was none other than the legendary bleached blonde Vampire who looked bruised and battered, maybe just having come in patrol or maybe from the battle against the demons the night before. "Blue Bell's right Charlie Boy," Spike chimed in and then looked down at her, "An' looks like Wonder Girl's awake."

"Shut up Spike!" Cordelia demanded, and stood up, walking towards where she lay. Her hair was cropped to her chin and wavy. Right now she wore a black tank top and a pair of her old jeans. She managed a smile at how good her mother looked just then, hot yet like she could kick anyone's ass in an instant. "You got a name?"

"Yeah," she nodded slowly, realizing that the slightest movements of her head just made it pound harder, "Think my mom would give me one at birth, don't you?"

"We don't need another sarcastic smart ass," he mother frowned, "We've got Spike for that. Now, the only reason we aren't keeping you locked up in some cage, or even haven't killed you yet is because you saved Gunn and helped out during the battle. Now, name?"

"Sage," she said, slowly propping herself up on her elbows and looking around the room. She was in the Hyperion and, ironically enough, in the room she lived in there. Connor, Spike, Gunn, Cordy, Illyria and woman who could pass as Illyria's twin except with long, light brown hair, brown eyes and not all vein-y stood around her. Sage guessed that the other woman must've been Fred, but she couldn't understand how she was there. They had all been told that her soul had been destroyed.

"Okay, that's a start," Cordy smiled, only a little, seeming to ease up on her a little, "Now, care to give us a little more information. Maybe, how you knew all the things you did the other night, or how you healed Gunn."

"Actually, I'd rather not explain any of those things right now," she replied, "The healing thing is just one of my powers, I've got powers from my demon quarter, three actually."

"Quarter?" Cordy raised a brow, and looked to the others who were remaining surprisingly quiet. It was then that Sage began to wonder where her father was. He was the only one that she had yet to see and the one she felt that she needed to see the most. For a second her eyes were locked on Fred and Illyria, still trying to figure them out, how that had happened.

Turning back to Cordy, she nodded, "My mom was half demon my dad…well, he could be considered a demon but in ways not really."

"He is a half breed," Illyria said certainly from where she stood in the corner of the room beside Fred.

"That's impossible!" Cordy, Gunn, Fred, Connor and Spike all chorused together, while Sage regarded Illyria, grinning. That was only thing she had gotten used to pretty easily over the years of growing up around the Old One. She knew things about people. In a sense she could read people's auras, but not like Lorne could. He could read their past, their present and their futures while Illyria just knew things about people.

"Not really..." Sage trailed, as everyone turned back to look at her, "I mean, Connor's born to two Vampires."

"Connor was a special case," Cordelia said, "And it was kind of a recent occurrence, like two years ago, although it doesn't seem like that because he was kidnapped and raised in a hell dimension before coming back to Earth having aged eighteen years almost overnight in our time and plus, Wes couldn't find anything about a Vampire having a kid anytime before then."

"Because it didn't," Sage put in, "My existence is kind of a... a future occurrence." Then, she watched, amusedly as puzzled looks cross over everyone in the room. They were all trying to make sense of this and Sage could tell they had never had a visitor from the future before. She chuckled to herself, she was privileged, being the first time-traveler they encountered.

"That would explain her fashion sense," Cordy put in after a long silence, to no one but herself in particular, mostly to just break the silence. Sage couldn't help but laugh out loud at that comment. So exhilarated to be here, to hear her mother speak again, almost like she was alive again. She was, but in Sage's mind this still all seemed like just a dream. Never in her life did she think she would meet these people again.

"How long have I been out anyway?" Sage finally ventured, trying to lead the questioning and conversation away from who she was and why she was here. That would all come in time.

"Coupla days," Gunn replied, leaning against the wall now, "Got some help from the Powers not long after ya saved me. Thanks for that."

"And how did that happen?" she nodded to Fred and Illyria in the corner.

The gang glanced over at the two and then turned back to Sage. "Oh, how did I happen?" Fred asked, stepping up and realizing that Sage was talking about her, "Charles and Spike asked the Powers if there was anyway that I could come back. If my soul was really destroyed, which technically it should be considering..." Fred looked around and blushed a little, realizing that she was beginning to babble and about to go into all sorts of scientific rules and laws of physics, "My soul was still there inside of Illyria since my memories were still there and all and they split us up. So, Illyria can only be her and can't be me anymore. That didn't happen in the future?"

Sage shook her head, "No. Spike and Gunn both died in the battle. Right after Gunn died, he would've gone over to where they were tearing him apart thinking that he was still alive and the demons would've taken him down. Only Illyria and d-Angel survived that battle."

"Bloody Hell, all a man needs is to hear that he was s'posed to die again," Spike mumbled to himself, "Saving the world again too an' all because o-.

"Give it up," Sage rolled her eyes, "You're alive now because of me being here."

"That's why you came?" Connor asked, "That demon that none of us knew anything about? That was the thing that was supposed to kill Gunn and then Spike?"

"Bloody Hell!" Spike cursed again, "I'm not your bloody father am I?"

Sage looked bewildered at Spike, "No because you were _dead_ when I was born. So, unless you somehow magically impregnated my mom from beyond the grave, which would be just gross, no." Sage then turned to Connor, "And no, that's not the demon. The demon is one that I let through a portal accidentally, I got distracted, took my eyes off of it for a second and it went through. That thing that threw you off the building on your way home last night, that was it. In reality, you listened to Angel and went home because you still weren't used to the whole demon-fighting thing."

Just then, before there could be any more questions or comments, Angel burst into the room followed closely by the anagogic Host, Lorne clad in his yellow suit and red shirt underneath. Sage smiled brightly as he entered the room, of all of the people she grew up with, Lorne was one of her favorites. She resisted the urge to jump out of bed and give him hug. She knew how hard it was for her father to find him, and how unwilling he was to return to the Hyperion, to LA, but only did to see his beloved Cordy who he had missed so much since she died.

Upon seeing Fred and Cordelia standing there, the Host's face brightened up completely and both women raced towards him and gave him a big hug. "My stars!" Lorne exclaimed, "Look at you two beauties, more beautiful than the last time I saw you." He smiled affectionately at the two of them. They knew that they were always the reason Lorne had stuck around with Angel and them when Caritas had been destroyed again. He loved them more than anything.

"You're looking pretty good yourself," Fred giggled, her face bright and happy.

"Thank you, thank you," Lorne grinned, "Oh, thank the gods that you two are back! Don't know how I would've survived for the next hundred years knowing that the world had lost two of the greatest beauties in the world. How about it pumpkin, sing me a tune?" His question was directed to Fred, who bashfully shook her head. "Oh, come on, I missed hearing that beautiful voice of yours."

"Not right now," Fred said quietly, "Maybe later."

"And don't even look at me to sing!" Cordy exclaimed, backing away from Lorne.

"Wouldn't even try to honey," Lorne laughed, "Seeing you two is just enough for me. Did I mention how the two of you are a sight for sore eyes?"

"No, but I think they got it," Spike interjected, "Maybe the 'bit in bed will sing though. Could give us some answers we need."

Quickly, Sage shook her head, "Not happening. I don't sing."

"Neither does Angel-cakes here but he had on more than one occasion massacred Barry Manilow's Mandy," Lorne informed her, "You're a pretty young thing, I'm sure you can carry a tune."

Sage sighed and then sat up straight on the bed, slowly feeling her energy come back to her. "I don't sing," She said firmly.

"Who are you?" Angel asked finally speaking up, having been watching the stranger intently. He'd had this strange feeling about her since her had first seen her out on the battlefield, like he had some sort of connection to her.

"Sage," She replied simply, "Just Sage, kind of like Cher or Madonna. I have a last time just don't plan on using it in this time. Don't need anyone to find out who I really am."

"This time?" Angel gave the rest of the group and inquisitive gaze.

"She's from the future," Connor clarified.

"Sing," Angel said, looking directly at her. So, she complied with his wish. She sang.


	2. Sing

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Daughter of Destiny

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Author's Note: Thanks for the Reviews, sorry it took so long for an update but I've had other things on my mind. I hope you enjoy this second chapter as much as the first, I'm going to slowly reveal more and more of Sage's past as we go along. Please read and review, tell me what you think.

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Chapter Two: Sing

The Future

"You'll need an alias," Conner said as they hurried towards the Hyperion Hotel, the rain pelted down on the already soaked siblings, "So that they'll never figure out who you are." They reached the hotel and Sage stood outside in front of the door, looking at her brother.

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"I won't need one, not with the name Sage," she said, finally reaching towards the door handle, "Dad and mom won't ever figure. I mean, mom would never name her kid Sage."

"And yet she did," Connor chuckled lightly, shaking his sopping head. He looked like wet dog, Sage mused to herself, but she would never admit it out loud. She knew she probably did too at this point.

"No, I named myself Sage," she reminded him, "Or, I changed around my middle name at least." A pained look crossed both of their faces as they remembered the circumstances of her changing her name. It hurt her too much to even hear the name she had been given at birth, too many memories, too many voice and pet names she would and could never hear again. Instead, she had opted for her middle instead.

"Right," Connor nodded finally, a thick silence lay between them. They never talked of it, never would, it was understood how both of them felt and no matter how close the siblings were there was no way either of them would ever talk about that night, or the nights before and after that. Too much pain hung there. Connor hadn't felt the same hatred towards his name, it had already bared years of trouble, so much pain and guilt already hung onto it by then for him to care much. Sage couldn't even wear her last name, their last name, Angel anymore.

"Connor…" She looked at her brother, seriousness etched across her features, "Do you think we can do this?" Not after all the times she had failed everyone as she had, not after she had failed herself. No one would know it by looking at her but it was true.

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The Present

I know you think that I shouldn't still love you,  
Or tell you that.  
But if I didn't say it, well I'd still have felt it  
where's the sense in that?

I promise I'm not trying to make your life harder  
Or return to where we wereI will go down with this ship  
And I won't put my hands up and surrender  
There will be no white flag above my door  
I'm in love and always will be  
  
I know I left too much mess and  
destruction to come back again  
And I caused nothing but trouble  
I understand if you can't talk to me again  
And if you live by the rules of "it's over"  
then I'm sure that that makes sense  
  
I will go down with this ship  
And I won't put my hands up and surrender  
There will be no white flag above my door  
I'm in love and always will be  
  
And when we meet  
Which I'm sure we will  
All that was there  
Will be there still  
I'll let it pass  
And hold my tongue  
And you will think  
That I've moved on....  
  
I will go down with this ship  
And I won't put my hands up and surrender  
There will be no white flag above my door  
I'm in love and always will be  
  
I will go down with this ship  
And I won't put my hands up and surrender  
There will be no white flag above my door  
I'm in love and always will be  
  
I will go down with this ship  
And I won't put my hands up and surrender  
There will be no white flag above my door  
I'm in love and always will be 

Everyone stood in quiet shock, staring at her as she finished singing the slow, sweet melody of the song she had always loved, even when it was considered 'ancient' eighteen years in the future. Lorne stared at the sixteen year old for another reason altogether than everyone else in the room. Like the others, he hadn't made a judgment on whether or not she would be a good singer or a horrid one. He would've put good money on the latter when she had refused to sing.

Sage had a voice of an angel, and not her legendary Vampire father either. She sang the song as well, if not better than Dido herself and that was saying something coming from Lorne. Nor was it what he read off of her that shocked Lorne. Sage knew many things that would come to happen, some would call her a prophetess, but she just called herself unique. In truth though, Sage didn't know that much at all, she knew that while most other didn't believe it. She was just a scared, confused, sixteen year old girl trying to figure things out and be normal all the while learning about her powers.

There was much that he couldn't and wouldn't tell Angel and the rest of the Fang Gang about Sage. Lorne knew though that he loved his girl more than for her great singing voice alone or the fact that her mother was none other than Cordelia Chase. "Well, well, aren't we a bid modest," Lorne finally said, chuckling, "Could say I'm a bit surprised considering I've heard both your parents sing. Guess talent skips a generation in your family."

"Guess so," Sage shrugged, nonchalantly. Slowly, her pain was beginning to wear off and she was preparing to get out of bed, to go on and complete her mission. Mixing with her family had been a bad idea; she shouldn't try to change anything. Not more than she already had anyway. Before she had come here she had been warned time and time again that there were dire consequences to messing with the past. It could alter the future too much, could completely erase people.

"Where do you think you're going?" Angel asked, as the teen tried to get past him. The rest of the gang still stood in silence. Something uncharacteristic of them, something she never thought she would live to see. Of course, they hadn't lived for her to see it instead.

"I came here for a reason," Sage told him, "A reason I'd like to get back to now."

"You're not going anywhere nibblet," Spike mentioned from his corner of the room, "I believe you got some explainin' to do to the rest of us."

"Actually, I'm really sure I don't," Sage shot back, "I don't owe anybody anything, certainly not anyone in here. So, if you don't mind I would like to get back to my mission, and then back to my own time."

Still, Angel made no move to let her past, out of the room. Sage didn't want to do this anymore; she didn't want to keep this tough girl persona up. Yes, she was tough but she was nothing like her brother. Hate for her parents and their friend had never existed in her eyes, she had always gotten along with Angel, Cordelia and whoever else was around. This was no time to start hating any of them. Really, all that she wanted to do was be around them, talk and laugh with them but she couldn't. Not only did it hurt too much, it just wasn't right.

"Why don't you let her go sweet cheeks," Lorne suggested, "She's got to deal with more than you'll ever know." Momentarily, Sage glanced at Lorne but quickly looked away. If it had been hard before she sang to look at him, it was harder now that he knew most of what happened. He had seen how she had failed all of them.

"No," Angel shook his head, a deep frown seemed to be permanently embedded into his face and Sage couldn't help but shoot him a glare now. Her patience was wearing thin. If she had to spend anymore time here with then, she knew that she wouldn't be able to stop herself from meddling in their affairs, from trying to save them.

"If you think I'm going to start getting all chatty and telling you about the future, think again," Sage told him, taking a deep breath, trying to remain calm. Although she could often be referred to as perky, she also had a hell of a temper. "I don't need your help to get this thing. Either I'll find a way to beat it myself, or I'll find someone else. Maybe another Slayer or something willing to help me, no questions asked."

"And I'll help any way I can," Lorne offered, his voice serious so that Sage knew he meant it. A small smile threatened to completely deteriorate her no-bull-shit demeanor; she could always count on Lorne.

"Fine," Angel heaved a sigh then stepped out of the way, "We'll help." Sage caught her father's eye and let her barrier down slightly, extending her mind into his own. She wanted to know what he was thinking. It had been a long time since she had allowed herself to read another's mind. Ever since the night that to this day haunted her dreams, she had kept and almost permanent barrier, closing herself off to other's thoughts. The other night during the battle, when she heard Gunn's own thought hadn't been by choice. This was.

She knew her father could feel something strange in his mind but he would never figure it to be her, or to be an intruder really. Sage had perfected her telepathy so that her presence in another's mind was barely recognizable; it was almost as if a breeze passed through or such. It pleased her to find that her choice in song intrigued him, but she knew this would also cause him to ask questions later. When he finally got her alone. There was so much more there, questions about her, who she was, what she wanted with them. He didn't trust her but that much was obvious to her, even without reading his thoughts.

Finally, she pulled out of his mind and nodded, glancing briefly around the room, deciding what should come next. Her mind was muddled with ideas, sure, she knew a lot about the past but now with the demon here in the present and now she was too, things were already beginning to change. The biggest change being that Spike, Fred and Gunn were still, or now in Fred's case, among the living when they had not been in her future. Them being here alone was likely already changing how things happened, and it sucked that she wouldn't know just how much it changed until she actually returned to the future.

"I have an idea where this thing might be staying during the day," she announced, "It prefers to hunt at night, less chances that something will go wrong, that it'll be seen." She looked solely at her brother now; "I'm going to check it out. I want Connor to come with, watch my back in case I'm not in as tip-top shape as I'm beginning to feel."

"Why Connor?" Angel inquired, raising a suspicious eyebrow, "Why not someone else?"

"I trust him, I know how he fights and I know that he's going to watch my back," Sage told him honestly, there was no reason to hide that fact. Already they knew she knew who Connor was, why not tell them some other small, unimportant facts. "Plus, not like your or Spike can help out, and I've never seen Gunn fight so he's out. Might've brought Illyria but since she can't shift into Fred anymore, she'd stick out like a thumb."

"Trust her," Lorne said quietly, "Connor's the best choice for this knowing what I know 'bout them."

"Go then," Angel sighed, "Becareful."

"Don't worry dad," Connor smirked, "I can handle myself." With that, Sage opened the door to the room and led the way out of the hotel, Connor close behind her. For the first time since she had gotten here, she felt a bit more familiarity with things. Her and Connor working a mission alone, something they did all too much of in the Future.


	3. Fight

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Daughter of Destiny

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Author's Note: Once again, sorry guys. I've just been so set on finishing this other story mine. I'm glad you're enjoying this, and I hope you'll like this next chapter too. Please read and review!

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Chapter Three: Fight

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The Future

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She sat Indian style in her room of the Hyperion, arms crossed over her chest and a glare on her face directed to the figure standing in the door. Her long, dark hair, which was so much like her mother's, fell to the center of her back, flowing over her shoulders. She had refused to let anyone cut it more than an inch every two months to keep it "pretty". According the six-year-old, long hair was "in".

"Please…" the young woman at the door said, in a small voice, trying hard not to get her madder than she already was.

"Nuh-uh," the tiny girl on the floor shook her head vigorously, refusing to give in to anything being offered by her current sitter.

"How about if I give you an ice cream sundae, chocolate cake, and you can stay up as late as you want," the sitter offered again, stepping into the room. Her brown hair was almost as long as the child's and her blue eyes sparkled in the light of the room.

"Nope," she shook her head again and then looked up at the woman, her brown eyes fogging with tears, "I want Mommy and Daddy to come home tonight."

"I know," stooping down to her level, the older brunette placed a hand on her shoulder, "But they've got a really important job to do tonight, they'll be back tomorrow."

"Promise?" her voice was small, and sad. Too often were her parents gone out on some mission, fighting the bad guys, and saving the world.

"Promise." The girls frown bloomed into a smile and she launched herself at the older woman and buried her head in her neck as she hugged her.

"Dawnie…" she mumbled, letting her sentence trail off. Preparing to ask for something.

"You want the sundae, cake and late night now huh?" Dawn Summers chuckled, sometimes she thought that the kid was too much like herself as a kid for her own good. After all, her over-night babysitting sessions with Cordy and Angel's young daughter were a frequent occurrence lately.

"Yeah," the five-year-old nodded. Dawn stood up and took her hand, leading her out of her room and towards the kitchen of the Hyperion.

The Gang might be out on an important mission, but Dawn couldn't help but believe that she had the most important mission of all, babysitting this youngster. After all, the young girl whose hand she held basically ruled the Hyperion Hotel. She had everyone eating out of her hands most of the time; it was one of many things she had inherited from Cordelia Chase.

"Dawnie," she whispered her babysitter's name once again.

"Yeah kiddo?" Dawn raised her brow and looked down at her.

"Bad things are coming," informed the younger brunette, "Bad, bad things and a big, big fight."

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The Present

Conner and Sage walked alongside down Hollywood Boulevard, Sage leading the way down the busy street to where she was certain her monster friend would be hiding. Then, maybe she would be able to end this and go home. Go home before she got too attached to seeing her parents, Lorne, and Illyria again.

"Oh! They're so cute!" She cooed, catching sight of a pair of pumps in the window. Obviously not the best pair of shoes to fight in, but for a party they'd be perfect. Although, she hadn't had a chance to party in years she still loved to look good.

"We're supposed to be looking for a demon," Connor pointed out, impatiently.

"I know," she replied passively, "Just daydreaming of a time where I might actually be able to put those shoes to use. Now, we can move on."

"You're very strange," Connor muttered, as they continued their way down the street, "What happened to tough girl back at the Hyperion."

"Oh, her?" Sage raised a brow and shrugged, "She tends to make an appearance now and then, more now than then."

"You mean more often than not, right?" Connor asked.

"Yeah, that's it," she nodded as she maneuvered her way through the bushels of tourists shopping on the street. Every so often a hand went to her side where her sword was strapped on, making sure it was still there.

"What it is you're hiding?" he wanted to know, his curiosity obviously getting the better of him at that moment.

"More than you'll ever know," she told him, looking up and holding his gaze for a moment, "For a while at least."

"We're close in the future," her brother stated. This comment struck Sage hard, and she glanced at him. Was it that obvious? She hadn't really said much to indicate that, she had made it clear they knew each other but were close?

"Yeah," Sage nodded slowly.

"Figured," Connor shrugged, "By the way you acted, the way you looked at me. As if you wanted to say something, but couldn't."

"Well, I'd trust you with my life," she said simply. If he pressed on, she knew that she would end up spilling some really important details. It had always been hard to keep anything from Connor; in the future he'd been able to read her like an open book.

Connor let it go at that though, seemingly sensing her unwillingness to divulge anything further than what she already had. Content, Sage continued along the street before ducking into a nearby alley. Los Angeles hadn't changed much in the future, it'd been a plan of the governor's to keep the city as close to as it had in the past to keep the "essence" alive. It would only make it easier for Sage to get around.

At the far end of the alley, there was a brick wall. Like any other brick wall you'd find any other place in the world. Sage, on the other hand, knew that it was a secret passageway to the basement of the museum, and where she'd find her monster friend. Biting her lip, she reached out and pressed the combination of bricks she had been taught. It was very _Harry Potter_-esque, but art imitated life.

Giving way to the secret code, the brick wall shaped a simple archway into a dark tunnel. Shivering, Sage stepped in, her mind flashing back to the night in the future when she'd for the first time ventured into the tunnel. Connor had been with her, but with the other demons and Vamps on their trail he had sent her in alone. Something that proved to be a big mistake in Sage's mind because it was, after all, what had ultimately landed her in the past.

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"Come oh children of the night," a booming voice bellowed, drawing them further into the tunnel. Sage knew it was the time-travel monster, the one that kept evading their every move to kill him. She had a sneaking suspicion that there might be something other than just trying to keep itself alive by travelling to the past. This specific moment in the past on top of that.

"Okay, this is creepy," she muttered to herself. Connor, still next to her, nodded a silent agreement, having drawn out his own weapon from its hiding place, a simple battle-axe. Sage reached for her sword, and withdrew the weapon from its sheath. What little light that still reached them this far down in the tunnel glistened off the silver metal.

Struck with a vision that very moment, Sage stopped. Her eyes squeezed shut; she backed to the wall in the side and leaned against it. She'd never felt such searing pain while having a vision, and she bent over, her hand at her head. Connor had stopped, and had rushed to her side concerned about what was going on. She could do nothing but groan in pain as the images it her mind.

Pain. It was always about pain, and fights. Bloody death of strangers, and sometimes people she cared about. Those were the ones that hurt the most, and the ones she'd had to bear for the majority of her life. This one, was no exception. Except, in a way it was worse because it'd been years since she had seen her father or mother's deaths in a vision, had seen someone from the "old" gang die in a battle, and she'd never expected to have to see them again.

When the vision was over, the pain remained. Dulled slightly, but resounding never the less through her head. She gripped her sword tighter than before and marched down the tunnel, searching for the demon. Now, she knew that she couldn't leave even if she did kill him. Yes, he was involved in her vision, but there was something else too. Something it had brought with it that was stronger, and more evil that she could imagine. A monster that had evaded their attacks longer than this one she had followed to the past, one that she would do anything to kill.

"Sage!" Connor called out her name, for the first time since she had gotten here. She didn't stop to answer though because she knew he would follow despite whatever she said, so she continued on down the tunnel.

When she reached the clearing, the basement of the museum. She scanned the room carefully. Something was off about this room, just not right and it made her tense up. There was more than just some monster she had accidentally let go in here.

"What's going on?" Connor asked, joining her.

"I had a vision," Sage clarified, "Another power of mine." Looking around she continued, "It's in here, but there's something else. I can feel it."

"So can I," Connor told her. The two stood side by side, scanning the room. A shadowed figure, shaped like a tiger launched itself at them, and Sage barely had enough time to react. Ducking down low, her sword shot up and pierced the tiger-shaped shadow behind its hide leg.

A growl rumbled through the room as the shadow hit the ground, and morphed into a tall, more human looking demon. Midnight black in color with long, red claws extending from its fingers. It bared its teeth at her and then reached back, and pulled out a double-sided sword.

"Sage..." Connor trailed, and Sage turned her head, just barely to look at her brother.

"Don't worry big brother," she said, and immediately regretted saying those words, regretted revealing one of her biggest secrets, "I'll take care of myself."

"Big brother?" Connor raised a curious brow, but she ignored him. She didn't have the time to answer or explain because the demon had launched itself at her. Putting her sword up in defense, she fended off the demon's own.

Recovering from the shock of his discover, Connor leapt into battle swinging his own battle axe at one of the demon's long, hideous clawed arms. It remained lodged in the shoulder blade a moment, in between the dark metallic armor it wore, and Connor had to work to push through before the arm fell limply to the ground, sword and all.

Screeching in pain, the demon whirled around and hit Connor, sending him flying into a cluttered corner or the room. Sage took the demon's being distracted by Connor for advantage, and kicked the demon square in the chest, twirling her sword around she moved into finish what she had came to do by killing the demon.

A strange power overcame her, and Sage felt her arms grow heavy. Struggling to keep a hold of the sword. She refused to let whatever it was hold her back, make her lose. Gritting her teeth, Sage mumbled a spell she had learnt long ago to ward off whatever magical attack was being forced on her. In a moment, she felt normal again. While it was going on though, she had taken her attention off the demon, and that had given it back its advantage.

Its remaining arm had retrieved its sword and it was moving in to hit Sage, quickly she moved but the sword struck her on her side. She squeezed her eyes shut in pain, and took a deep breath. One little wound couldn't keep her down, it never had before, and she certainly wasn't going to let it now.

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"Give up girl," a voice boomed, and this time she knew it wasn't the demon she fought now. It was that other power she had sensed the minute she stepped into the room, the minute she had gotten her vision. _"You're never going to win, not in this time, and not in your own!"_

"What me," she growled, but suddenly the world began to spin, as the demon struck her hard across the face. She fell to the ground, and looked up as it lifted its sword. Bringing it down fast, she tried to crawl out of the way. This time, it struck her in the stomach before something tackled the demon out of the way.

It was Connor, and he had rushed to her side within seconds. She was loosing blood, lots of blood. "Don't tell," she whispered, "Don't tell anyone."

"Fine," Connor nodded.

"Bad things are coming," she mumbled, feeling herself lose grip of the conscious world, "Bad, bad things, and a big, big fight." Then, she gave way to unconsciousness.


End file.
